Excessive or deficient myofibroblast activity is associated with many diseases and biological and medical processes. Such diseases include those shown in Table 1*.
Tissue or OrganActivation/ProliferationDeletion or DamageSkinGranulation tissueScleroderma; keloid;Dupuytren's contracture(72, 213, 224); psoriasis (63)PericyteAtherosclerosis and restenosisMicroancurysms, edema,(149, 159);and hemorrhage (26, 239)hypertension (208)MouthPeriodontal ligamentPeriodontal disease (136, 214)Gingival myofibroblastsGingival hypertrophy secondary todrugs (cyclosporine and Dilantin)(135, 136, 212, 214, 216)EyeExophthalmos (proptosis) of Grave'sDiabetic microaneurysmOrbital fibroblastdisease (9, 221, 254)(26, 142, 239)Retinal myofibroblastProliferative vitreoretinopathy (253)Anterior capsule of lensAnterior capsular cataract (172, 217)Corneal myofibroblastCorneal scarring (184)Heart and pericardiumMyocardial fibrosis, atherosclerosis, andcoronary artery restenosis (35, 149, 159.258)KidneyMesangial cellProliferative and sclerosingAbsence of glomerularglomerulonephritis (108, 184, 239)structure (141, 234)Interstitial cellRenal tubulointerstitialfibrosis (171, 177, 198, 239)LiverPerisinusoidalFibrosis and cirrhosis (72, 88, 150)stellate (Ito cell)Ischemia reperfusion injury of hepatictransplantation (206)Necrotizing hepatitis (62)PancreasPeriacinal stellate cellPancreatic fibrosis (4, 8)LungInterstitial contractilePulmonary interstitial fibrosis, idiopathicEmphysema (25)celland drug-induced; sarcoidosis (105, 209,214)Stomach and intestineCollagenous colitis; villous atrophy andAbnormal intestinalInterstitial cell of Cajalcrypt hyperplasia; fibrosis of Crohn'smotility; hypertrophicSubepithelialdisease (2, 86, 114, 131, 153)pyloric stenosis;myofibroblastHealing gastric ulcerHirschsprung's disease;megacolon of piebaldism;idiopathic pseudo-obstruction (33, 52, 115,183, 212, 243, 248, 249)BrainProduce glial scar tissue (166)Human immunodeficiencyAstrocytevirus-associated cognitivemotor disease; spongiformencephalopathy (166)BreastStromalFibrocystic disease; desmoplasticmyofibroblastreaction to breast cancer (73, 214)Bone marrowStromal myofibroblastFibrosis in myelodysplasia andAplastic anemia (182, 218)neoplastic diseases (182, 218)JointSynoviocyteRheumatoid pannus formation (11)*See Table 5 of Powell, et al., Myofibroblasts. I. Paracrine cells important in health and disease, Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Jul. 1, 1999 vol. 277 no. 1 C1-C19, references shown in this table refers to the articles cited in Powell, et al.
Thus far, there are no effective ways of treating or ameliorating many of the conditions associated with excessive or deficient myofibroblast activities.
Therefore, there is a need for methods and compositions for modulating myofibroblast activity.
The embodiments below address the above identified issues and needs.